Guardian
by Mohawkman2233
Summary: Samus Aran has fallen. The consequences of her previous battle with Ridley left her slashed and scarred. No longer was she able to breathe. She wondered, as thoughts left her mind... would she ever see Pit again? Or was her guardian angel a bit closer than she thought? The Pit/Samus one-shot that you guys have been asking for is finally here!


** Alright! You guys asked for it! And here it is!**

** PIT/SAMUS ONE-SHOT!**

** And boy, are you guys in for a treat.**

** Just sit back and enjoy. It's quite long, so I hope you guys have the time. This one won't have a "sexual" lemon in it, but it will be very sweet.**

** But, there is a good bit of violence in it, so… yeah. Enjoy. **

"Pit, you've been assigned to someone."

The statement was so blunt it nearly sent Pit's head spinning off his shoulders.

"My goddess?"

The comment originated from none other than Palutena, the Goddess of Light. Here she stood before her captain, poised over the viewing fountain, both residing in the dark halls of her temple and perched high in the clouds of Skyworld.

"I'm making you someone's guardian angel."

The winged brunette couldn't help but cock his head.

"But… why? I'm already protecting you. Adding someone else could only… who could possibly… I-I mean, it's not like I'm not up to the challenge, but-"

He was cut short as Palutena rested a finger on his lips. His relaxation was nearly visible.

"It's true that I need you. Yet, someone out there needs you more." She ran her fingers through his chestnut bangs and playfully squeezed his cheek. She could feel his skin's temperature skyrocket at her touch. That silly boy.

To Pit's dismay, Palutena removed her caring gaze from his reddened features and returned it to the fountain.

"And you should be happy! You've met this person before. Remember the tournament I sent you to?"

The "tournament" of Super Smash Brothers Brawl had been over for months. Pit had actually placed fairly high, but was repelled from victory when his beloved Centurions were discovered to be no match for the dreaded Landmaster. In the end, Fox walked away victorious, Pit coming in third, Ike above him.

The angel suddenly noticed Palutena's reluctance to disclose this person's identity. Stating that they from Brawl narrowed down the list quite a bit, but Pit really didn't feel like saving Ganondorf today.

Propelled by curiosity, he stalked up behind his goddess and peered over her shoulder to see into the fountain.

His heart soared as the image of a familiar, blue-clad blonde rippled in the sacred waters.

As if Pit's joy radiated off of him, Palutena released a light chuckle.

"So… you do remember her…"

The melancholy sigh that followed was glaring in contrast.

"Unfortunately, she won't be alive much longer."

As those words left Palutena's lips, Pit's fluttering heart caught fire and plummeted into his stomach like the doomed plane it was.

"W-what?" He sputtered.

Palutena's hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder. She could feel her palm relieving all tension from his muscles.

Her eyes locked onto his.

"That's why I need you to go. I need you to catch her."

She wrapped her arms around Pit and hugged him tightly, releasing another deep sigh. Her little captain, whom she had raised from such a tiny cherub, had grown so fast it seemed like she had only created him yesterday. Innocence had given way to strength as her grew, not only saving her and Skyworld once, but twice. He was her guardian, destined and willing to protect her for all eternity. She truly felt like a mother to him, and he was the closest thing that she had ever had to a son. If she lost him, she simply didn't know how she would cope. Merely the thought of that made her shiver fearfully.

She squeezed him one last time.

"Go now."

His giant, watery eyes brimmed with determination as she released him. Free from her hold and with a mission to complete, he spared no time bolting out of the chamber, through the darkened halls of Palutena's temple, out the massive doors, and finally, into the magnificent sky of Skyworld, speckled with wispy clouds. Spreading his wings wide, Pit soared higher and higher into the atmosphere, so high as to tempt the myths of Icarus into reoccurrence. When he reached the peak of his flight, he stopped himself and hovered in midair. A vortex of clouds was beginning to form over him….

—

Samus hurriedly tied a filthy towel around her left arm, wrapping it behind her neck and suspending it beside the crook of her waist. She winced in pain as it fell from her grip. It had been severely fractured, and now all it was really good for was deadweight.

Luck hadn't really been on her side that day. She had been sent by the Galactic Federation to investigate a new type of Phazon mining facility on Bryyo, and instead ended up cracking a hive of Space Pirates wide open. Normally she wouldn't have had any trouble blasting each one out of her way, but earlier she had fallen into a vat of fuel gel without activating the Varia Suit's Hazard Shield. What resulted was a fried power suit and a quarter of the energy she originally had. One bad mistake after that could end in the armor's unintentional deactivation, leaving her prone and defenseless. She would have to rely on her Paralyzer after that, which wasn't exactly a safe bet. She instead chose to turn off her suit and proceed with stealth, in order to return to her ship and get out of there. She had the information she needed, anyway. However, on her way back, she discovered the hard way that a certain dragon was leading the mining operations. She managed to escape to the docking bay, but Ridley had given her a nasty blow to the arm, resulting in the fracture she was currently dealing with. Right now the monster was on her tail, just within the corridor that led to her ship, and gaining fast.

Samus dashed out of the medical bay with whatever strength she had left. Storming into the cockpit, she furiously gripped the control stick with her one good arm and jammed it forward, pouring everything into the engines. They screeched and roared like angered demons as the fiery trails grew to the length of comets, blasting the sunset-colored ship off the docking platform and out the bay doors.

Maybe it wasn't just the engines that were howling in fury….

Samus stumbled as a massive thud rocked the ship. Terrible shrieks and the slashing of metal could be heard overhead while the Gunship struggled to gain altitude. The huntress's eyes widened with horror. She was in no condition to fight him. All she could do was stare fearfully up at the roof of her ship, praying that the thin sheet of metal above her would be enough to hold her nemesis at bay.

Of course, it wasn't.

A bony, clawed hand tore through the pitiful barrier and slashed around violently, shredding steel like tissue paper and leaving a gaping hole.

Samus gifted it with a swift blast from her Paralyzer. The hand jolted and spasmed, the screeching outside growing louder and more pained. It jerked itself out of the ship, only to be replaced with the hallowed, bloodshot eyes of Ridley, aflame with agony.

However he managed it, the dragon wormed his way in through the hole he had created, wings and all. Raising the sallow membrane of his reptilian wings, he blocked off all escape for the huntress. A dreadful grin grew visible over his teeth. Samus was cornered, wounded, and in no condition to fight. This would be all too easy.

Using the fire that seldom left her spirit, Samus blanketed Ridley's face in searing hot plasma, trying to would him, stun him, anything that may give her a chance to escape. The monster was relentless, however, his maw nearly catching fire as he crawled toward the huntress. He raised his hand high into the air and brought it back down on Samus, claws outstretched. Her legs were simply too weak to avoid the blow. His talons raked down her good arm, slashing suit, skin, and flesh alike. She screamed, stumbling backward and meeting the frigid glass of the windshield with a dull thud.

Ridley wasn't finished yet. Rushing forward with surprising speed, he pinned the girl to the thick pane and ran his claws through her stomach, their bloody, pointed tips protruding from the other side. Samus gasped.

The look of joy on Ridley's face was horrendous.

As if savoring the moment, the massive pirate withdrew his hand so painstakingly slow that it made Samus want nothing more than to cry.

Feeling escaped her legs as she slumped to the floor. Blood gushed out of the wound like a gory cascade of crimson regret. The fierce shrieking of the ship's alarm sirens slowly faded into nothingness, replaced by the dull thumps of her slowing heart. Her only comfort rose from the warmth of the scarlet red fluid pooling around her waist as her golden hair was stained. Darkness enveloped the corners of her eyesight, her final sight the swishing, spiked tail of Ridley as it slithered out of the ship. Unable to keep her eyes apart, she gave into the night encompassing her vision, all strength leaving her body. Slowly, as if hanging on till the last possible second, her eyes shut completely, closing the final curtain on her brief glimpse at life….

—

Samus could feel herself falling. Her hair fluttered wildly above her head, jolting every which way like palm trees in a hurricane. The loud whoosh of air was almost painful to her ears. Somehow, she was able to sense everything about her, as if she had been brought back to life. But she wouldn't be alive for long if she kept falling at this rate….

Something stopped her. Two somethings. Things so warm and soft that Samus could simply fall asleep in their hold. Suddenly she was hoisted up, a small grunt echoing in her ears, until she was held firm against a velvety cloth of some sort. It seemed to give off its own little heat.

The huntress heard her name.

_"Samus…"_

It was almost a whisper. Samus cracked a blissful smile at the voice's smoothness. The lovely coo resounded again.

_"…Samus…"_

The voice was masculine. Not only masculine, but strangely familiar. This was odd. It wasn't like Samus to forget someone. Especially someone with that kind of voice. She racked her brain as to who could hold such a heavenly tone.

_Heavenly… _she thought _...could it be-?_

He mind was silenced as she felt a kiss on her forehead. An inexplicable burst of energy surged through her skin, revitalizing every inch of her body. Even though she couldn't feel it, she somehow knew that her heart was beating again. She felt blissful and bewildered at the same time. Slowly, she regained the strength to open her eyes, piercing rays of bright sunlight the first thing to greet her.

As she began to move her gaze, she noticed something. No longer was she curled up on the floor of her ship. All that could be seen around her was an infinitely spanning, crystal clear blue sky. She eventually turned her head toward the source of the voice, eager to see if its owner was whom she had desired to see for so long.

The sunny, caring face of Pit made her want to cry tears of joy.

With nothing other than pure love swirling in his eyes, he chuckled so lightly and sweetly it made Samus melt inside.

"There you are."

Blowing her hair aside with a quick puff of his breath, he snuggled his nose against her bare neck, his fluffy hair delicately tickling her chin. Her breathing slowed, as did the beating of her heart. She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing her eyes shut. However she had come here, wherever she was, she never wanted to leave.

She relaxed her grip on him as he drew his face away. Her voice quivered as she spoke.

"P-Pit… h-how…"

"Shhh… it's okay. I'll explain."

He turned in the air, the pulsing, rhythmic beats of his magnificent wings in near sync with the soft pounds of her heart.

"Samus Aran… I'm afraid you've passed on."

Her eyes bugged.

"WHAT?!"

She lurched up in Pit's arms, bringing their faces closer. However, the resulting action caused Pit's hand to slide down her back.

Her bare back.

Samus's eyes shot off the angel in an instant, immediately landing on herself. She noted the fact that not an inch of clothing concealed her body, every feature and attribute on blatant display for Pit's vision. Squealing, she lashed an arm over her chest and threw a fist square into the angel's eye. He lurched back in the air, almost dropping her, but quickly securing his grip to the point of it nearly becoming a wrestling hold. Samus could see a bruise begin to form, but quickly fade away, counteracted by Pit's heavenly magic.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"Pit, where the hell are my clothes?!"

The angel's eyes locked onto hers.

"Relax, Samus. Right now you've been freed from your mortal body. All you are now is your spirit. And unless there's a hex I don't know about, nobody can put clothes on their soul."

Samus could feel a hot blush erupting like fire onto her face. At least Pit had the decency to be a gentleman about her situation. If Captain Falcon had for any reason been in Pit's place, his eyes would have been anywhere other than hers.

Eventually, she spoke.

"So… where do I go now?"

Not a word.

Pit's wings began to shift in a different direction, and the breeze increased. They were moving. Samus gripped the angel tightly, frightened from whatever daunting altitude they resided at. They flew for an expansive time in complete silence, the air around Pit respectable and almost commanding.

After what seemed like ages, a wall of clouds came into view. As Pit neared it, a large, floating temple protruded from the milky white veil. Massive stone pillars towered before the entrance like armored guards, sturdy and unwavering. The front of the roof was accented with countless golden patterns, rubies, sapphires, and any other gem a heart could desire. Enormous, glimmering doors sat concealed behind the pillars, shining brilliantly in the radiant sun. The stone showed no cracks, no flaws, no imperfections of any kind.

The structure before them was their apparent destination. Pit touched down soundlessly in front of the pillars, his sandals gleefully meeting the stone floor as he rested his exhausted wings. He relaxed his grip on Samus, slowly lowering her to her feet.

The instant he did, Samus bolted a few feet away, her back turned to Pit, blushing madly.

The angel sighed. The poor girl.

Without warning, Pit shuffled up next to Samus and wrapped his wing around her, as to at least give her some modesty. Eagerly the blonde gripped the wing and fiercely jerked it around herself. At first, Pit winced, but slowly relaxed as Samus hugged the wing. He furled his appendage and its captive closer to his chest, and silently led them into the darkened halls of the expansive palace before them.

Green-flamed candles threw out eerie beams of pale light across the corridors, floating wistfully like ghosts. The stone floor was freezing against the huntress's bare feet, her only comfort the downy feathers encompassing her body. Nothing but an ominous, dimly-lit path stretched before the pair; the angel's steady, soothing breath all that disrupted the silence.

However, Samus's mind was anything but quiet. Millions of questions troubled her conscience as she shuffled along. Was she truly dead? What was to become of her ship? Where was Pit taking her to? How would the Galactic Federation fare without her? Had Ridley and the Space Pirates won?

…

_Had they already won?_

Pit stopped. His voice pierced the silence like a well-toned spear.

"You're shaking."

Samus snapped out of her inquisitive trance and noted that she had indeed begun to tremble. Pit couldn't blame her. Here she was, recently being told that she had fallen at the hands of her nemesis, every trace of her family gone and her only friend the angel standing beside her. With no idea what lied ahead she clung to her sole consolation, which was the small amount of happiness Pit could offer her. She held onto that so fiercely as if it were her final possession. In a way, it was.

She felt a soft warmth envelop her hands. Peeking under the wing, she could see that Pit's gentle palms had wrapped around her own. Her eyes met his, an invisible force securing their gazes together with near inseparable power. His voice was laden with care and concern.

"Hey, don't worry. It'll be alright."

A small tear rolled down Samus's cheek.

And another.

And another.

Without warning, the blonde flung her arms around the angel and buried her head in his shoulder, sobbing mournfully. Pit barely caught her, and raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like Samus to show this magnitude of an emotional release. But perhaps when you've been told you were deceased….

Regardless, he wrapped his arms around his friend's slender waist, trying desperately not to offend her by reaching too high or too low. Gently he ran his fingers through the huntress's silky smooth hair, grateful to give Samus a shoulder to cry on. He kissed her neck, his lips spreading a soothing wave through her tensed mind.

Eventually, the crying ceased, and the only sounds that emanated through the halls were the soft whimpers and sobs of Samus and the deep sighs that flowed like honey out of Pit's mouth. The angel squeezed her tightly before relaxing his grip. He brought a hand up to her chin and directed her sullen gaze towards his. He repeated the words that he had told her moments before.

"It'll be alright."

And so they trudged along. Samus gripped the angel with such ferocity that it was as if she owned him. She never wanted to leave his side. She wanted to be cradled in his wing and snuggled into his toga forever. Pit silently consoled her as best he could.

—

After what seemed like years, the pair arrived in a small, segmented room. As they entered, a figure materialized out of the darkness. It was feminine, but rather difficult to discern due to the extensive mane of neon green hair that nearly touched the floor. She was hunched over a fountain of some sort; the illuminated waters throwing out wavy rays of light that danced about the ceiling. The air around Pit suddenly turned serious.

"My goddess?"

The woman turned to face them. Her eyes were a brilliant sea foam color; their pupils swimming in a vast ocean of tender compassion. Her cheeks were flawless and rosy, her lips a sweet shade of scarlet, and her nose was adorably small. A twinkling head wreath, vastly superior to Pit's, was laced intricately among the lengthy strands of her hair. The dress she wore was a pure, milky white, laden with countless golden and jeweled charms. Love seemed to radiate from her very presence.

Something clicked in Samus's memory. This woman was strikingly familiar. That warm face was the last pleasant sight you were able to see in a Brawl Tournament before you received a pummeling from Pit's Centurions. Her name, however, eluded the huntress.

Palutena giggled sweetly.

"Well, don't be shy, come here."

Unwilling to leave Pit's side, Samus merely hugged her angel tighter, as if to notify him of her uncertainty. Pit squeezed her hand and tugged her along. Now they were barely a few feet from the goddess.

Palutena's eyes widened as she realized why Pit couldn't leave her side.

"Goodness, girl, let's get you in something."

She directed her finger to the ground around the huntress. Instantaneously, a tiny cloud bank appeared at Samus's feet. It billowed softly between her toes and tickled her, forcing her to stifle a giggle. The goddess waved her hand upward, the clouds orderly following her commands. They enveloped Samus like a quilt, Pit unfurling his wing as it was doing so.

Palutena clenched her fist. Swiftly the clouds dispersed and faded away, leaving behind a simple, white gown. Samus staggered backwards, surprised by the new weight.

As she regained her bearings, she clutched the robe curiously and brought it up to her nose. She drew in a deep breath. It smelled quite similar to Pit's toga.

Heck, it smelled like Pit.

Removing her gaze from the lovely tunic, Samus glanced forward, only to find Palutena's eyes trained on her. Particularly on her face. She felt uncomfortable. Why was this woman staring at her?

The goddess spoke.

"You're just as beautiful as Pit described."

Samus's head jumped and swiveled to Pit. The angel was sheeted in a dreadful blush.

Suddenly he perked up.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

He took a step forward.

"Samus, this is Palutena; Palutena, this is-"

"Why Samus Aran, most renowned bounty hunter in the galaxy." The goddess cut him off.

Both he and the huntress looked shocked.

Palutena failed to conceal a light chuckle.

Turning slightly, she raised a hand and beckoned Samus to follow. She walked silently back to the fountain.

The blonde gave Pit a worried glance, but her feelings of uncertainty were put to rest as a look of reassurance played across his features. Giving Samus a light pat on the back, he gestured for her to go forward. No fear or discomfort could be found in his eyes, only a protective sense of security. Whatever she was about to be put through, he would be behind her. That fact alone was enough to purge all fear from her mind. Now calm, she stepped up beside Palutena, ready to face whatever the goddess had in store.

The goddess waved her hand over the illuminated, otherworldly fountain; the water responding to her command without question. It rippled and flowed with her motions as it became a small whirlpool. She snapped her arms out at her sides, causing the fluid's graceful dance to cease instantly. Its surface was so still it resembled a small mirror. Slowly, Palutena dipped her index finger into the water's center, allowing a sole ripple to appear and billow outward. The moment it touched the edges, the fountain burst to life like a television screen; an image beginning to take shape under the fragile barrier of liquid.

The fountain gave off a red tint as a burning city came into view. Terrible pillars of midnight-black smoke stood like a gathering of mourners as the air was heavy with the sounds of horrified screams and weapon fire.

The forsaken memories that Samus had fought for so long to keep sealed in the darkest, most twisted corners of her mind arose once again. The city they looked upon was Samus's home.

K-2L. Right in the prime of its invasion.

Samus couldn't hold back tears as the image zoomed in, displaying the bloody slaughter of countless innocents, shrieking and scattering like frightened roaches. The attacking Space Pirates seemed to enjoy picking off the civilians one by one. She wanted to look away, destroy the fountain, bury her head in Pit's arms, anything to get the terrible image out of her mind. But she couldn't move. Nothing could tear her eyes from the massacre occurring before her.

The image moved once again, this time over to one of the colonies' docks. The silhouette of a massive dragon and two people cowering before him came into view. In the background you could see the station's Phazon reserve facility; the smoldering remains of a suicide ship embedded within. Ridley seemed furious because of it.

Samus collapsed. The two people standing before that monster were her and her mother.

Her father had crashed that ship into the Phazon to corrupt its purity, rendering it inert.

And she knew all too well how Ridley reacted.

Infuriated by how the actions of one man brought failure to his entire mission, the dragon blasted a fireball towards the young Samus, eager to watch the girl incinerate. However, as it burst forth, her mother had leapt into its path, taking the blaze at full force, sending her singed body soaring though the air and onto the scorched steel platform some ungodly distance away.

Samus thrashed her fists into the fountain, trying desperately to remove the horrid sight from her vision. The sacred water was flung everywhere, but the image remained. She screamed. It was all too much.

Suddenly, Pit's arms lashed around her and locked the flailing girl firmly in place.

"Samus! Control yourself!"

She squirmed violently in his grasp, but he only held her tighter. Tears ran down her cheeks and stained her dress; her muffled, incoherent cries echoing off the stone walls.

Slowly, she relaxed; the crushing grip of Pit melting into a soft hug. Her deep heaving lessened into sighs and whimpers. Good God, he was comforting.

As her outburst ceased, Pit gradually released her from his hold and backed away.

Palutena's eyes, watery and sorrowful, jumped from Samus, to the fountain, and back again. She hung her head, giving a deep sigh.

"So much destruction…."

Waving her hand above the fountain once again, the water swirled into a vortex; the image of Ridley flying away from the horrified child slowly fading.

As the whirlpool subsided, a green tint overcame the fountain. The lush, plant-covered caves of Zebes materialized in the waters. Samus furrowed her brow. When was this?

A Varia-Suited Samus stomped through the cave, arm cannon sizzling. Her suit pulsed with a neon-green energy, throwing off odd colors on the foliage-lined walls. As she pushed on, a small, blue and white egg came into view.

Happiness burst into Samus's heart, crushing the previous sadness like it was nothing. What was about to follow was one of the most joyous events in her entire life.

As the image of Samus advanced towards it, the egg began to shudder. Slowly, it began to crack. Samus readied her arm cannon as a newborn metroid emerged from within its shell.

Neither moved. The huntress was tensed and ready to attack. The parasite was simply observing her, not hissing or screeching, but simply observing her. It floated curiously up to Samus, interested by her armor. It nestled itself inside the crook of her arm, a soft purr escaping it. Taken aback, but mainly intrigued, Samus stroked the top of its glassy head and hugged it; the little alien squealing with pure joy.

Palutena couldn't help but giggle.

Samus was almost sad as the memory faded away, swallowed whole by the swirling waters once again.

The courtyard of Smash Manor became visible. It was nighttime, but the bonfire below gave enough light to see. The Smashers were gathered around it, celebrating.

They had just defeated Tabuu. Meta Knight was still brooding over his destroyed ship, and Lucas was still a bit timid around Wario. Their wounds hadn't fully healed yet. Several of them were still pretty beat up. Mario still had a nasty black eye from getting pegged in the face with a cannonball. But battered as they were, they had triumphed. They had saved the world from Subspace, freed Master Hand, and become good friends with one another. It was one of the greatest nights of Samus's life.

The Smashers had made a small clearing so Sonic could breakdance. As they watched him, Samus had knelt down some distance away, running her hand through Pikachu's fur. Her helmet was off, and it was quite some news to the men of Smash Manor that their armored comrade was really a woman. None of them minded, of course.

Especially not a sweet little angel.

The image moved back a little ways behind Samus, showing Pit and Link lying out on the grass. Something caught Pit's eye. He sat up, tugging on Link's shirt. He whispered something to the Hero and pointed to the huntress. His voice hadn't been heard by Samus at the time, so it couldn't be heard now. But for the sake of the dead, Palutena had taken some of Pit's memories and combined them with Samus's, allowing him and Link to become audible.

_Link, who is that?_

_ Hmm? Oh, that's Marth. We're still not really sure if he's a boy or a girl-_

_ Not him! That girl over there._

_ Who, Samus?_

_ The blonde girl._

_ Yeah, Samus._

Link looked to the angel.

_Wait, you don't like her, do you?_

_ Well, I don't know… she's really pretty…._

Samus blushed as Palutena chuckled.

Link sighed with disdain.

_Word to the wise, kid: Don't chase her. She'll eat you for breakfast. Captain Falcon tried a long time ago and got his ass kicked. She can be a real monster when it comes to these things._

Samus's eyes widened. She really succeeded when she told people to keep their distance.

_B-but… what if…_

_ There's no "but" about it. You try, you'll just end up getting kicked in the head or something. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but it takes a certain kind of man to get Samus to fall for you. Let's be honest; the best you could probably hope for is to be her acquaintance. _

The huntress sighed. She never wanted guys falling all over her, but she didn't want to come off like some intolerant beast who would assault anyone who got too close. But Link had a point. She wasn't into most guys.

But Pit wasn't like most guys.

The angel stood.

_Still, I think I should least introduce myself. I don't think she even knows who I am._

_ None of us did. You haven't shown your face since the 80's._

_ At least I can talk in my games!_

_ …_

_ That's what I thought. Now come on, you're introducing me to her._

_ What? Why me?_

_ Well, you know her already, don't you? Plus, she'll think she's died or something if an angel just comes up out of nowhere and starts talking to her._

_ …you may have a point. Alright, let's go._

Link stood up and walked over, Pit behind him.

Palutena smiled deviously to Samus.

"Want to hear what Pit's thinking?"

At first the huntress was a tad shocked at the invasion of privacy, no less coming from a goddess, but she couldn't deny her intrigue. Displaying a reluctant nod, she watched eagerly as Palutena dipped her finger in the water, the ripples flashing for a split second.

As the light subsided, the echoing, sweet voice of Pit's thoughts emanated from the pool.

_"Oh sweet Palutena she's even more gorgeous up close"_

Link spoke.

_Samus, this is Pit. I met him with Mario out on the plain. He's a pretty good fighter, but he's not as good as me._

He grinned. Pit didn't like that.

_He also thinks that you're the most beautiful thing he's ever seen._

The Samus under the water fought hard to keep a blush off of her cheeks.

Pit didn't fight hard enough.

_LINK! T-THAT'S NOT TRUE!_

_ "Oh please don't think I'm creepy- I swear Link if she doesn't kill me here I'll rip your head off"_

Both girls in Skyworld cringed. Pit wasn't usually that violent.

The vision of Samus chuckled.

_Well, thank you. I think you're quite handsome as well._

Link laughed.

_"Oh no I hope she's not messing with me cause I really like her"_

Pit's little voice was quivering.

_ Er… t-thank y-you…_

Samus took his trembling hand.

_Why are you so nervous? Do I really look that good?_

Link was **dying.**

_**"**__Whoa her power suit is cool… it's like a Cherubot that you wear…"_

Pit gulped.

_Uh-mm-er… n-no… i-it's not t-that…_

_ Oh? So I'm not beautiful?_

Link hit the ground.

_"Oh no I'm screwing it all up… okay, okay, just have to think something…"_

_ N-NO! It's not that… I-I was just told… that I had no shot with you…._

Link stopped laughing.

The suited Samus raised an eyebrow.

_Oh really? And who told you that?_

Pit didn't utter a word. Instead he looked to Link, his expression begging for advice. However, that was all the explanation Samus needed.

She picked the Hylian up by his ears.

_OW! SAMUS! PUT ME DOWN!_

_ "Wow… she's really strong for a mortal…"_

Samus seethed into the hero's ear.

_Link, who gave you the authority to tell people if they could date me or not?! _

The memory faded out from there. Palutena's lips were twisted into a frilly grin as she glanced at Samus. The huntress rolled her eyes.

"He had it coming. That's all I'm saying."

The goddess chuckled.

"I'm sure. We can take a break now if you'd like. Pit's right outside if you want to talk to him."

Samus smiled.

"Actually, that sounds nice."

—

Taking a step out of the chamber, Samus threw a glance down both ends of the adjacent corridor. To the right, sure enough, was Pit.

He was leaned up against the wall, one leg crossed over the other. Slowly he stroked his wings, still recovering from the lengthy flight earlier. His eyes were fraught with concern, and yet they seemed distant, almost as if he wasn't looking at anything at all. She could see it in his posture, as well. He had something on his mind. Something heavy.

Strolling up to him, she purposely made enough noise to grab his attention.

As he lifted his head to her, she could see his gaze return to reality.

"What's that smile for? People aren't usually so chipper when the go through their memories." His voice was hilariously grim.

She grinned.

"Oh, we had some of yours thrown in the mix…"

The angel cursed under his breath.

"It was at the bonfire, wasn't it?

"Hey, it was Palutena's idea, not mine!"

There was a pause. A long one. Almost as if soundproof glass had materialized between them. Pit's gaze had drooped to the floor, but Samus couldn't get hers anywhere else but on him. Simply the sight of him filled her with happiness. She wanted to lift whatever was weighing down the smile he usually possessed.

"Something on your mind?"

He raised his head. Something in his expression told Samus that she was about to hear something serious.

"I'm just worried."

Worried? What was there to worry about? She was in Skyworld, wasn't she? There was nothing left for concern. She was going to be here forever…

…right?

"About… what?"

He sighed. Piercing her eyes with his own, he spoke in a delicate whisper.

"…_you…_"

He shuffled himself higher against the wall.

"Samus, I don't think you understand just what exactly is going on. Sure, you're in Skyworld. But you might not be here for much longer."

She swore her heart stopped.

"W-what?"

"I'm saying that it's not a complete guarantee that you'll end up happy. You either stay here, or if the pain and suffering you've sown outweighs the good you've done, I have to take you to the Underworld. Personally."

She was stunned.

"Please tell me you're joking."

He shrugged.

"I wish I could. But there's no one else to do it. We tried for some time to get Pittoo to take up that responsibility, but he-"

"Who?"

Pit paused.

"Er… nevermind."

His tone sunk.

"Look… I just want you to be happy. But if the verdict isn't good, I may have to get the Centurions to take you. I don't think I'd be able to do it."

He took her hand.

"B-because…"

Her eyebrows jumped. The mere touch of his skin gave her chills.

"I love you… Samus…and I couldn't stand-"

She sealed his mouth with a firm, passionate kiss. Surprised beyond belief, his arms locked in place behind him, all sensation leaving his fingertips. The pupils in his eyes quivered, electrified by the sudden act of love. His whole body tensed, excluding his wings, which were fluttering madly. Between her arms, which were tightly squeezed around him, and the delicious taste of her lips over his, he was beginning to find it hard to breathe.

He didn't care. Throwing his own arms around her, he fiercely pulled her closer, his wings shielding them both. It took every ounce of his self-control to keep his angelic strength from crushing her. His eyes never closed, but rather were blurred with a downpour of fresh tears, making loud _plips_ as they fell to the stone below. Taking it a step further, Samus pushed him forcefully into the adjacent wall, hardening the lip lock. His eyebrows furrowed in pain as the bases of his wings were crushed against his back, but the discomfort was short-lived. Tongues dueled like angered swordsmen as the pair kissed. The sweet saltiness of her tears mingled with his, merging to become a tempting elixir that Pit ached to taste. Samus's hands left Pit's sides and found the wall, supporting herself as he pulled her even closer, disturbing her balance.

For an instant, their lips separated, giving each a chance for breath. Samus took the brief second to release a sharp, swift moan. Pit delighted in the sound of it. He wanted to hear it again.

Giving her a sharp squeeze, he silently begged her to make the sound again. Samus obliged, much louder. Pit's bottom lip quivered as it echoed in his ears, chilling his core. He kissed her forehead possessively as she rested on his chest, listening to the metronomic beats of his otherworldly heart.

"Ahem."

Both nearly jumped out of their skins at Palutena stepped into the hallway, hands on her hips. Her expression said very plainly: _BUSTED!_

Pit and Samus scrambled off each other like they each had the plague.

"M-MY GODDESS! H-HOW LONG-"

"M-Miss Palutena-"

She raised a hand.

"It's alright. I'm sorry for interrupting."

She smiled cheerily at Samus.

"Ready to continue, sweetie?"

The blush on her face was furious.

"Er… yes. Let's go."

The goddess began to stride away, Samus beside her. However, just before the huntress stepped back inside the fountain chamber, she bolted back and gave Pit a quick peck on his cheek. He flashed a smile, and she disappeared into the room.

—

"Alright, now… where were we?"

Reaching out over the viewing fountain, Palutena once again swirled the mystical waters into a vortex, giving a sporadic flash of life to the lights resting on the ceiling. Samus braced herself. So far, most of the memories had been good ones. Perhaps her luck would hold?

The scorched, sapphire blue terrain of the planet Phaaze appeared. Dark Samus was lying on the ground in a crumpled mess; her warped, twisted form truly a ghastly sight to behold. The backlight in her pulsing visor flickered, providing evidence of a severe lack of power. One good shot would have been all that was needed to take her out.

And, as Samus distinctly remembered, that's exactly what she got.

The view in the fountain jolted back a bit as footsteps became audible. A vision of Samus, with a dangerously corrupted Varia-suit clinging to her body, stomped furiously up to the mangled clone.

Dark Samus used the last pathetic reserves of her strength to reach out to the huntress, and however silent she may have been, she pleaded for mercy.

But her counterpart wasn't in the best of moods.

Slamming the crushing heel of her metal boot on the Phazon ghost's armored chest, Samus pointed her arm cannon directly at her doppelganger's visor.

Without a shred of mercy in her eyes, the infuriated huntress blasted a fully charged shot into Dark Samus's helmet, relishing the sound of the apparition's pained scream.

The clone spasmed as she shrieked, the Phazon inside her counteracting itself and becoming inert. A burst of free Phazon leapt from her body as her suit, now powerless, crumbled around her. As her helmet disintegrated, the pale, beautiful face she hid was displayed to the world. The corrupted Samus above felt a pang of guilt tap on her stomach; it was almost as if she had killed her very sister.

Slowly, the suit dematerialized completely, allowing the particles of Dark Samus's body to detach and fly freely. The huntress watched as the Phazon spirit vanished from existence, leaving absolutely nothing behind.

Palutena shut the memory down there. Samus's head jolted to her in annoyance; she was enjoying her victory replay. But something in the goddess's eyes made her freeze. Something she couldn't explain.

Was she sad for the ghost?

Samus certainly wasn't. That monster had killed dozens of innocents. The destruction of it was the only way to deal with it.

But maybe, just maybe, it deserved as much of a chance at life as anyone else.

Palutena shook her head in disappointment.

Startling the huntress, the goddess snapped her fingers, dousing every single candle in the room, as well as dimming the fountain's light as if she hit a light switch.

Tracing the edges of the otherworldly pool, she tapped a finger to Samus's forehead. Instantaneously, the room flashed, the waters before them violently thrashing as a brand new image appeared. The blonde staggered backward.

"W-what-…"

"We're nearly at the end of your memories, sweetie. Fresh ones tend to be a bit… unruly."

The fluid in the fountain slowed, descending into a gentle cyclone as lights flickered beneath. A faint tint of a citrus-colored sunset gradually grew stronger. The massive, prickled vines of Bryyo developed like an image on a photograph, intertwined with stocky, thick cliffs, towering over a vast, rocky plain scattered with vegetation.

Something streaked through the canyon. Something more blazingly orange than the sunset in the background. And by blazingly, I mean that it was on fire. White-hot streaks of flaming exhaust trailed behind the object while it screeched and roared like a monster, plummeting towards the ground at a ridiculous speed. The sharp, dark silhouette of a skeletal dragon could be seen soaring away, without a care in the world.

Wow, those memories WERE fresh.

Samus knew all too well what the burning object in front of her was. It was her ship, recently crippled by Ridley, spiraling awkwardly out of the Space Pirate hangar bay and into the maze of canyons spanning across Bryyo's rocky surface.

Palutena took the initiative and zoomed the image in, invading the damaged ship's confines, displaying the gory corpse of Samus, lying mangled and slashed on the floor of the cockpit.

The Samus in Skyworld squirmed. She really looked awful.

Subconsciously she gave a worried glance to the goddess beside her, as if pleading for an answer of why they were viewing this inhumanity in the first place. All she got in return was a cold, hard stare. Palutena's irises pierced hers, as if she were fingering around in her very soul. Unsure of what to say or if to say anything at all, she held her tongue between her teeth, fearful of what was to come.

The goddess spoke in a dark, otherworldly tone.

"No. You're not ready yet."

She held a hand to her temple.

"Pit… I need you."

Within about half a second, the angel was in the door and on a knee.

"Yes, my goddess?"

Palutena was so stern with her command that she sounded furious.

"Take her back."

Pit's head jumped from the floor.

"M-my goddess?"

Her expression didn't change.

"Take her back, Pit. She still has things that she needs to do."

Pit didn't move.

The goddess above changed her scowl into a glare.

"You know what you have to do."

Standing a little shakily, he nodded his head. He took Samus by the hand and led her out of the room, the green-haired woman disappearing behind them as the chamber dimmed once more.

It seemed to take much less time for the pair to navigate the palace's halls. Within moments, Samus had been swept up into Pit's arms and lifted into the sky, carried away into the spanning blue sky once again.

Not a word was spoken until long into the angel's flight.

Samus's usually curt, hissy voice had been replaced by a weak, quivering one. The reason being that Pit seemed worried. Very worried.

"P-Pit… where are we going?"

He sighed.

_I never thought it would come to this…_

"Pit?"

"I've got to get you back to the mortal plane. To do that, you have to go through _there._" He nodded his head forward.

Samus's gaze followed Pit's to a spanning carpet of peaceful clouds stretching out infinitely below them. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary…

…until Pit got closer.

Without warning, the clouds cracked open with a malevolent crash, storming themselves into a torrential hurricane. The sky darkened in an instant, threatening harm on the small winged figure in its midst. Winds of maelstrom force blasted the angel and the huntress, howling viciously into the midnight-like sky. Samus yelped and buried her head in Pit's stomach, while he gritted his teeth and gripped her tighter. He activated the Wings of Pegasus to keep himself from being tossed around. The winds battered them like newspapers in a tornado, yet the angel didn't budge. The strain sprawled across his face grew stronger and stronger as he worked his way directly above the vortex. He parked himself over it, the huntress once again clutching him ever so tightly.

A huge bolt of lightning leapt from the voracious clouds below, striking mere inches from the pair. Samus nearly jumped out of her skin as the resounding clash shattered the air around them. Pit didn't even blink.

Somehow, his little voice could be heard over the shrieking winds enveloping them.

"Alright! You ready?!"

Samus's eyes grew huge.

"Ready?! READY FOR WHAT?!"

"JUST TRUST ME!"

Kicking the Wings of Pegasus into full power, Pit shot into the vortex, disregarding the dancing streaks of frightening electricity bouncing off the swirling walls. Samus nearly choked her angel as she hid her vision in his toga, refusing to open her eyes until the chaos was over. Blasting forward at an incalculable speed, the pair blurred in their charge towards the storm's center. Lighting struck at them, furiously displaying their disapproval of Pit's trespass. The angel dodged each bolt, as if he knew where they would attack at what exact moment. The winds grew even more forceful, toying violently with the thin togas the two wore.

Within moments, Pit reached the core. A spiraling mass of blistering energy glared into their eyes while the storm raged around them. The angel grinned through gritted teeth.

Samus's eyes jumped above the core as a sole spot of angered clouds illuminated, sparking and hissing ferociously. Pit was too focused on moving towards the core to notice.

The huntress gasped as a massive bolt of lightning tore the sky open, ripping out of the cloud and speeding toward them.

"PIT!"

Everything was dark. Not a sound could be heard. An evil cold had seeped into Samus's mind, blocking any sort of warmth or life. No sensation could be felt, only a stinging sense of numbness manifesting in her fingertips. Breath had escaped her, and now she couldn't even find the strength to fill her lungs. The sole thought of Pit echoed wistfully in whatever she had left of her mind. What had…?

Something warm touched her forehead. Similar to earlier, an inexplicable burst of energy powered though her every cell, invigorating her with an unnatural warmth. Her hearing returned, harshly greeting her eardrums with the sharp wails of shrieking alarms. As her eyes fluttered open, she found herself on the floor of her ship, stomach slashed open as before. Her arm was still broken, and the other one was still in ribbons. How was she even breathing?

As she sat up, she noticed the sunny face of Pit, kneeling down next to her.

"Welcome back."

Samus was indescribably confused. What the hell? What had just happened? How on Earth did they get back here? Why did it seem that no time had passed at all?

"P-Pit? H-How…?"

Grinning, Pit reached behind his back and pulled out a smoldering Mirror Shield.

"Lighting. Not something to play with." A twinge of humor could be heard in his voice, bright and cheerful as ever.

He stood.

"C'mon. We've got to get you out of here before this ship crashes." Taking the huntress by the hand (of her broken arm) he pulled her to her feet.

Samus screamed in agony, collapsing back down to the floor.

Pit's grin faded.

"Right. Forgot about that."

He stretched.

"Well, only got one other choice."

Sweeping the crippled girl into his arms, he flew out of the ship, slamming straight though the bottom hatch. He stopped and hovered in the air, allowing Samus the duty of watching her beloved ship as it plummeted and eventually crashed to the ground in a twisted, steel fireball. As soon as a few moments passed, he fluttered over to the side of one of Bryyo's canyons, and slowly touched down. Gently he lowered Samus to the ground, taking extreme care not to harm her again.

Without a word, he began to work. Lifting her broken arm in his hands as if it were a newborn child, he gave it a soft, tender kiss, nearly not even making contact with the flesh.

Samus's eyes widened as she heard the gruesome sound of bones reattaching and snapping back into place. Curiously she moved her arm, every muscle and joint orderly cooperating in perfect unison. It had been healed.

Her eyes jumped back to Pit as he switched positions, taking a seat next to her slashed arm. He bent down and kissed the open wound, allowing a soft glow to envelop the appendage. Slowly, the flesh sealed shut, as if the injury had never been there in the first place.

Leaning a bit forward, he smirked as he kissed her stomach. As it had before, the wounds closed, and even the sleek latex of the Zero Suit was mended. Samus could feel herself breathing again, living again…

She sat up with her newfound strength. Holding a look of grateful surprise, she turned to Pit, who countered with a bright smile and a light chuckle.

The dragon who had witnessed the whole thing from afar did anything but chuckle. Infuriated at the spontaneous resurrection of his nemesis, he screeched in frustration, allowing his cry to echo throughout the canyon. He had to kill her a _second_ time, did he?

And whoever this kid with wings was? As good as dead.

Nearly blazing with fury he about-faced and barreled back through the canyon, screeching like an awoken flock of vampire bats while his jaws seared with red-hot plasma.

It didn't take the pair long to notice the demon headed straight for them. Pit sighed and stood, pulling out his bow from seemingly nowhere. He spun it in his hand and held it behind his back, similar to a Bo staff, and held one hand in front in a martial arts stance. He was ready.

Samus stammered with her words.

"P-Pit! Y-you can't fight him!"

Just as Ridley came within his striking distance, Pit caught the dragon by the throat.

"I can't do what now?"

Pit spun himself around as he put Ridley in a roundhouse throw, effortlessly slamming the beast to the ground. Within seconds the angel had him by the tail, sending the dragon into a merciless beating as he was brought to the ground again and again. Breaking free, Ridley leapt into the air and shot a fireball at Pit's head. With a simple sidestep, the blaze passed by. Jumping onto the monster's chest, Pit slashed three good hits into Ridley's ribcage until he was pushed off, landing on his feet and separating his bow. With claws outstretched Ridley slashed a left hook at the brunette, but it collided with the hot steel of the Mirror Shield. As the beast reeled, Pit leapt at him and pushed him off the cliff, sending both plummeting to the ground below.

Ridley recovered quicker than the angel expected. Brushing him off with a swift burst of his wings he was airborne, scrambling to a safe distance as fast as he could. Hand-to-hand combat was proving ineffective. Pit's wings shot open as the Wings of Pegasus came to life, spanning twice the size and brightly illuminated with a sky blue tint.

Three fireballs passed four arrows as the two exchanged shots, all seven projectiles missing. What the unfortunate dragon didn't realize, however, was the unique homing quirk the Arrows of Light possessed. Connecting his mind to the cerulean blasts, Pit brought them back around into the Ridley's leg. Screeching he fired a continuous stream of plasma directly at Pit, forcing the angel to take evasive action. Soaring upward in a spiral, Pit shot off two arrows, each connecting with their target. Infuriated the dragon gave chase, blasting three fireballs angrily out of his bloody jaw. As Pit gracefully dodged the first two, he whipped out the Mirror Shield for number three. As the shield flashed, the horrid ball of flame barreled back into the dragon's mouth, startling him and temporarily disabling his plasma breath.

Temporarily was good enough for Pit. Following the path of the traitorous fireball, Pit slammed into Ridley's figure and brought him to the side of the cliff, whereas the angel threw a roundhouse punch so forceful it sent the beast clean through the rock formation.

Ridley was beginning to see just how out of his league he really was. Flapping his reptilian wings madly he sought escape from this heavenly onslaught, barreling back towards the hangar with fear in his eyes.

Pit met him halfway. Spiraling downward this time he delivered a blinding roundhouse kick straight into the monster's skull. Ridley plummeted downward, unconscious for a few moments, but quickly came to. He had reconfigured his fire breath, and blasted a massive fireball upward at the guardian angel.

Sadly, Pit wasn't ready for this one. The Mirror Shield was thrown from his hand as the blaze collided with his torso, forcing him to give some ground as he struggled to recover.

Taking the opportunity, Ridley charged the brunette, slashing at his head with a right hook. Ducking in the nick of time, the dragon's claws only sliced a few strands of chestnut-colored hair.

Uppercutting the monster straight in the jaw Pit sent him skyrocketing, trailed closely by a hungry pack of seven light arrows. Using his wings as a shield Ridley was able to block most of the assault, but wasn't prepared for Pit to mimic his own earlier actions and charge straight upwards. However, since they had been his actions, he had known how to counter them. Throwing his talons straight down he slashed at Pit, causing the angel to veer away. Retreating, Pit dove into the maze of canyons below, the wounded dragon hot on his heels.

So it was a dogfight. Pit's light, nimble form allowed him to gracefully dodge most of whatever the dragon could dish out. However, Ridley's powerful figure and overall build allowed him to absorb whatever the Arrows of Light could do. For a minute, it was a stalemate.

Until Pit got physical.

Surprising Ridley by leaping out from behind a canyon wall, the enraged angel took the dragon by the wing and slammed him into the nearby cliff.

Breaking the sound barrier as he shot forward, Pit forced Ridley straight through the cliff, breaking through the other side. Gripping the weary dragon fiercely by the neck Pit dragged him along the side of the canyon, tearing rock out of place with the monster's jaw as his plow.

After covering about a half mile, Pit threw Ridley into the opposite cliff, once again delivering a ferocious uppercut that sent the beast flailing into the air.

In mid-flight, Pit had caught up, bringing both hands clenched downward in a dreadful slam attack that resounded with a horrendous _**BOOM**_ as it made contact with Ridley's chest.

Now plummeting downward, the dragon desperately blasted fireball after fireball as his insane pursuer. Pit dove straight downward, straight _through_ a fireball, until he had a sharp grip on the monster's neck. Throwing him for a final time into the cliff wall, he put away his bow and clenched his fists. He spoke in a haunting, otherworld voice.

_This cliff will serve as your tomb._

Rushing forward he pinned the dragon to the canyon's side. Repeatedly and with increasing force he threw his fists into Ridley's skull, pushing the beast deeper and deeper into the rock.

Blood stained the angel's knuckles as he finally cracked the thick armorskin plating encasing the monster's head. Screeching in pain Ridley slashed his claws violently, desperate for some sort of escape, some sort of reprieve, anything to allow him to survive and cheat death as he always did.

But Pit was death. And there was no way he was getting loose this time.

After the granite surrounding the battle zone had been thoroughly soaked in the alien's blood, Pit heaved deeply and gripped Ridley's bony neck, a dark, evil scowl corrupting his features. Sweat, blood, and tears dripped onto the angel's burns while he caught his breath. His free hand clenched into a tight fist.

Diverting every ounce of his holy strength, as well as the fury he withheld until now, he threw a fist straight though the dragon's stomach, smashing through armor, scales, skin, flesh, bone, and back again as his knuckles protruded from the other side, slamming into the rock with a massive _**CRACK!**_

With a dying breath the monster screeched to the heavens, his hoarse voice slowly fading into an inaudible hum as his life slipped away…

Shutting his eyes, the dragon lowered his head, admitting defeat as all vigor escaped his body. Removing his hands disgustedly from the bloody corpse, Pit allowed the alien to fall to the ground below and break whatever bones he had left.

Thunder clapped. A soft patter of rain tapped on the angel's wings as he returned to Samus, touching down on the cliff a few feet in front of her.

Not a word was spoken. Only a solemn stare was shared. Pit held one of his arms and looked away.

_ What does she think of me now? I mean, now that she knows what I'm capable of, she'll never love me. She's probably afraid of me… oh, Palutena… why-MMPH!_

The huntress tackled the angel in a fierce kiss. Pit wasn't allowed a chance to breathe as she smothered him, crying her gratitude and love as she danced across his lips. Her tears mixed with the rain as she cried, holding the wounded angel close to her heart.

Pit, despite his surprise, decided to go with it. Sitting up, he allowed himself to melt into her kiss, wrapping her in his singed wings as he returned the hug. His tongue met with hers, and soon both were in tears. Neither could bear to separate; they were intertwined.

The love the two shared was unlike any other. The sweetness of the angel's oath, to guard and protect her for all eternity, was an unshakeable connection that no one could sever. He would always be at her side. He would always console her. He would never do anything to harm her in any way. The feelings were absolute and eternal. And she felt the exact same way about him.

The pair broke the kiss. Rain trickled down Pit's messy locks, drooping down over his laurel crown. Samus's hair was matted down as well. It was all Pit could do to take hold of the huntress's hands and cry happily. She cried with him, the rain encircling them tapping a sweet melody on the rocky ground.

Every so slowly, the storm clouds above parted, allowing a heavenly light to shine down on the pair. Pit raised his head, as did Samus, as the massive, transparent entity of Palutena materialized. Her face held a warm smile.

Her voice echoed as she spoke.

"Here, girl. You're going to have an awfully hard time getting off this cliff without this."

Raising her gargantuan staff high into the air, she presented Samus with her ship, fully repaired and operational, gently setting it on the ground before her.

Samus's eyes lit up. Excitedly she turned to Pit, who in turn gave her a big, goofy grin.

She looked to Palutena.

"T-thank you…"

"Don't thank me, sweetie. Thank Pit."

Slowly, the huntress returned her gaze to the angel. His goofy grin had vanished, only to be replaced with huge, watery eyes and a heartfelt grin. Her hands were still clasped in his.

Almost subconsciously, Samus captured him in a tight hug. He sighed as he returned it, squeezing her tightly.

As they released each other, Pit helped Samus to her feet. Reaching out, his hand found his way to her neck, and he lovingly tickled her chin.

"Try not to die again, huh?" There was still humor in his voice. It almost never left.

Samus giggled lightly, and began to walk to her ship.

Pit walked the opposite direction.

Palutena raised her staff again, allowing beams of heavenly light to shine down on Pit.

The angel stopped. Turning his head ever so slightly, he flashed Samus a weak smile, until he vanished, a few delicate feathers fluttering to the ground.

Samus retreated into the dark halls of her ship.

**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDDD DONE! *smacks laptop keyboard***

** *laptop breaks***

** Shit.**

** WOW! I AM SO SORRY FOR HOW LONG I'VE BEEN GONE! And even though I got a laptop, the workload at this new school I'm going to is just ridiculous. I don't have time for half the stuff I thought that I would. Like right now, it's like 1:00 in the morning and I have crap ALL over my bed… but whatevs…**

** I've had this idea for so long… and I finally got it down on paper (well… virtual paper…)**

** Okay, a few things I want to say:**

** On the matter on Pit/Palutena: I like the pairing. But I had to use our green-haired goddess as a maternal figure so I could enforce the Pit/Samus pairing. And yes, even here, I did a little CF/Samus bashing. I can't help it.**

** I had to do a little digging on Samus's backstory. The main reason being that I've only played Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Did I get what I put down right? And if I missed a major event, lemme know. I like Metroid.**

** Now, technically speaking, Samus probably wouldn't act the way that I portrayed her here. She'd probably take Ridley out with a broken arm anyway. (And the Hazard Shield activates automatically, so don't believe any of my bullshit) But I needed to tweak it a bit for the sake of the story. Hey, it is a **_**fanfiction, **_**right?**

** I personally found it a bit cheesy at times. Mainly because I used the old outline for it that I had made in the seventh grade, and my writing style was crap back then. So, granted, this may not be my best work.**

** So…what's next? I'm really diggin' this reader-friendly input style that I've got going. I might work on A Smash Bros Summer next… but, it really comes down to what you guys wanna read. You are my beloved readers, after all. *hands everyone a free cookie***

** Oh, and at the part with the bonfire memories, if you were confused with the dialogue and the thoughts, dialogue was in **_**italics, **_**and thoughts were in **_**"italics and quotes."**_** Confusing, no?**

** Interesting songs to listen to at certain parts of the story:**

** When Pit and Samus are in the vortex: The Phoenix by Fall-out Boy (holyshitholyshitholyshit)**

** When Pit fights Ridley: Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin (my life is now 30% more epic)**

** When Pit and Samus kiss until the end of the story: A Thousand Years by Christina Perry *sniffle…sob***

** (P.S. Don't forget to check out the new monthly poll!)**

** (P.S.S. Anyone know any good animes about angels BESIDES Heaven's Lost Property and Angel Beats? I luv me sum angels…)**

** Well, that's all I have for now. Mohawkman2233, signing off.**


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